Guangdong court sentences China 18 member, democracy advocate to six years in prison

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Guo Feixiong visited the Capitol on a
trip to Washington, D.C. with a
delegation hosted by China Aid.
(Photo: China Aid)

China AidTranslated by Carolyn Song. Written in English by Ava Collins. (Guangzhou, Guangdong—Dec. 1, 2015) The Tianhe District People’s Court in China’s southern Guangdong province sentenced democracy advocate and China 18 member Guo Feixiong to six years in prison on Nov. 27, after adding a last minute charge of “picking quarrels and provoking troubles.”

Guo, whose birth name is Yang Maodong, was originally detained on Aug. 8, 2013, while fellow activist Sun Desheng, also known as Sun Sihuo, was detained five days later on Aug. 13. The two men were considered accomplices by the court and were tried together in August and November 2014 with no verdict.

The Tianhe District People’s Procuratorate, a government institution which works alongside the People’s Courts to prosecute and oversee the handling of criminal cases, originally charged Guo and Sun with “gathering crowds to disturb public order” at their initial arrests. The Tianhe District People’s Court added the charge “picking quarrels and provoking troubles” to Guo’s case during proceedings at his sentencing trial.

Four consular officers, one from each the embassies of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany, travelled to the court to participate in the proceedings but were intercepted at the door and prohibited from entering the courthouse.

Sun was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison while Guo received a six-year prison term. Another advocate, Liu Yuandong, was also sentenced at the same hearing to three years in prison. Liu was arrested Feb. 23, 2013, and originally stood trial in January 2014.

After the sentencing, Guo thanked those of his friends who had been called as witnesses, expressing his gratitude that they had spoken well of him and tried to protect him. He apologized for the fact that his friendship had gotten them involved.

China Aid advocates for prisoners of conscience like Guo Feixiong in order to one day achieve rule of law in China.